'I need help' – how three words changed the life of one man

This month's blog is a little different to earlier posts because this time, I'm sharing someone else's story. You'll hear about 'James' (de-identified for privacy), his experience with Time Line Therapy®, and the incredible results we achieved together.

Three little words to change it all

James' partner, Sally, was a coaching client of mine, who would go home after each session and tell him about the work we were doing. During one of our coaching sessions, Sally mentioned that her partner was going through a troubling time and asked whether I could help him.

I'm often asked this question by clients who are concerned about their loved ones, and my answer is always that I would love to talk with them, but they need to be ready to create the change in their lives and be the one seeking help.

After one of our sessions, James came into my Centre to pick Sally up.

He stood in my doorway with an expression on his face of exhaustion, fear, and pain. His shoulders were hunched, his head was down, he looked lost. As I entered my reception area, he looked up at me and said three little words that would eventually change his life: "I need help".

A man at breaking point

James knew he was lost and that he needed help getting to where he wanted to be in life, but he didn't know how to get there. His current behaviour was affecting every aspect of his life and stifling any opportunities for growth or personal development.

We identified James' main concerns:

He felt stuck by past experiences and was also going through a traumatic event at work and didn't want to follow the same path he usually did.
He felt unable to trust his decisions. As a result, he saw himself as a 'yes man', never standing up for what he believed in and later getting annoyed with himself for that. He would agree with those in authority to keep the peace and not rock the boat.
He wanted to hold his head up high, fight for his beliefs and what he knew to be true.

The journey forward

My approach to working was different from anything James had experienced before.

Together, we uncovered what his personal values were – how he saw himself, and how he wanted to behave.

We explored his timeline, removing the negative emotions and limiting beliefs that had held him back. Each session, I introduced him to different techniques that could help him transform into the man be wanted to be.

James had amazing revelations during the Time Line Therapy® component of our coaching, as he realised that his past no longer defined him. He diligently did his homework and integrated everything he learned into his life.

As the session progressed, I could see a physical change within him. He would walk into each session happy, holding his head high, and maintaining eye contact. He was excited by life. He had his spark back.

Testing the results in real life

Towards the end of our coaching program, we felt it was time for James to go out and test his new behaviours in a way that would undeniably prove that he was a changed man. He had to practice everything we had worked on to affirm that he was living his values and being the person he wanted to be.

Four weeks later, I received a phone call. James was full of excitement and pride, telling me how he had entered a confrontational meeting at work and was able to stand tall, speak confidently and fight for his truth. He could recognise that he had let go of all the old behaviours that no longer served him and fully believed in himself.

The freeing magic of Time Line Therapy®

This is the magic of Time Line Therapy® and the effect it can have on your life. It's my favourite technique to work with as the learnings of past experiences can profoundly change the way you respond to future ones.

Time Line Therapy® helps you unhook from the stories you may have carried around for years. It doesn't make you forget these troubling events, but removes your reactivity to them, so they just become an event, something that happened in life, but now no longer carry any fuel. It puts you back in control of your emotions and your behaviour.

This process is so powerful that clients often look at me at the end of a session and don't know how to articulate what has just happened. Suddenly there is a lightness to them, freedom, the ability to be able to react any way they want to, without being influenced by past events.

Here's what James said about his experience:

'I still remember standing in the doorway of Juliet's office. I walked in and said, "I need help.”

I had been through a very traumatic experience, and it wasn't until I started working with Juliet and her Breakthrough Program, especially the Time Line Therapy® component, that I realised how much of my past was affecting my present.

Over the next 10 weeks, I was able to face so many of my fears and insecurities. During the program, Juliet asked me how will you know that we have achieved what you want from this program. I said, "I'd know 'cause I'd know, something will just click and I'll feel it".

I can distinctly remember when this point was. I had said to Juliet at about week 7 of the program "I walked into a meeting, head up, shoulders back, confident in who I was, and I nailed it!"

I can honestly say this program has changed my life dramatically for the better. Thank you, Juliet'

Seeing my clients achieve these incredible results, and often watching them shed tears of joy at their new sense of freedom, is one of the most remarkable parts of my job.

It is truly a privilege to be there for my clients, experiencing these moments with them. If, like James, you need help overcoming obstacles and finding a new way forward, please reach out – I'm here for you if you need me.